My way
by FumeKnight
Summary: Blake, the wanderer. He dubbed himself that as he forgot his last name, being confined for more than 500 years in the undead Asylum would do that to anyone. The only memory he remembers, even though a bit blurry, was that of his two first friends. Join in his adventures as he faces Lordran in his own way.
1. Undead Asylum - Escape

**Hello and welcome to my first Dark Souls fanfiction, this is FumeKnight (Not the boss, don't worry) your host and author of this story. I'm certain that you'll find some mistakes, probably on my grammar or on some other part. But the end result of this chapter and starting point is to see how well you, the viewers, like it. Now without further ado, enjoy reading it.**

* * *

 _Centuries_ _ago_

 _I was on my own again, the children around here were higher in nobility than me so they thought of me as a parasite. I didn't really much care about them either, the only thing I cared was me perfecting my swordsmanship, which a traveler told me to train on a specific kind of sword, he told me that it would be useful to study the eastern style of swordsmanship._

 _Everyone that I knew went somewhere to explore and such, every time I asked to come they would tell me that I'm far too weak to join them. So the last couple of years I focused on training myself to join them one day._

 _But on that day two kids appeared with robes hiding themselves from the others, they were on opposite sides to try avoiding each other and the other kids. They stayed on both ends of the field until sundown, at that time most of the noble children left except me and a few. I was different from others in a way since I stayed longer to sharpen my senses._

 _Both intruders from before were coming on my general direction, though one completely disregarded me and went to see the other children, the other bumped my risen hand which made me lose focus and ultimately made me fall behind on top of the culprit._

 _Once I turned around, obviously displeased to lose my focus, I saw a girl with shiny silver hair with her profound emerald eyes looking at me with a pained expression._

 _"Argh! I lost my focus because of you!" I vented out my frustration to her, her eyes were starting to form tears because of me yelling._

 _"I-I-I'm sorry." She said between sobs, wait did she said sorry to me? None of the others nobles said that to me._

 _"As long as you mean it, I accept your apologies." I said as I scratched my head, before I gave her my hand.._

 _Just as she was extending her hand a knife flew between us so fast that it looked like it could've cut the air itself. She recoiled with fear, me on the other hand didn't and grabbed her hand to help her out._

 _"How strange as a human like you aren't afraid of being hurt." Said the other figure with the hood on._

 _"Pain is nothing to me, though I have to ask. Was it you that threw that knife?" I asked as I sheath my wooden sword on my back. The figure than nodded. "Please teach me how you did that, it would help me greatly when I begin explore outside the wall."_

 _"You want to go outside the wall? Why?" Asked me the girl with some curiosity._

 _"The world isn't just resumed to this, there is much more than this place." I explained as going outside was one of my wishes._

 _"You speak ill of this holy place!? Have you no shame?" Now that the hood of the robe fell down I saw a boy with hazel eyes staring fiercely to me._

 _"Look, this place is unworldly, yes I understand that, but doesn't it gnaw you of not knowing what's going on out there?" I asked with some valid points, only the highest nobles and the gods know what is going on out there._

 _The boy fell silent as he couldn't prove me wrong, the girl thought too. Now that I look at her more closely she actually has some weird features, like - on her - and the small - - -._

 _"Anyway, who are you two? I've never saw you two around here before." I asked as I unsheathed my wooden sword and did some practice swings on the air, I spun around to not hit them._

 _They began to whisper the two between themselves until they agreed on something._

 _"My name is - and this is -. Pleased to meet thee..." The boy stopped to know my name. They definitely aren't from here so it wouldn't hurt right?_

 _"My name is Blake." I responded as I kept swinging my sword._

 _"What is thy last name?" The boy asked again, he put his hood and hers too as some people passed._

 _"I have no last name." I responded coldly as I stopped swinging._

 _"But aren't thee Blake South-" Before he finished he swiped my weapon and stopped near his neck._

 _"Don't even finish that, I'm not their son." I said with some venom, it's true that a noble couple took me in, but their intentions aren't too kind. "I was abandoned by my real parents and they don't even give two shits about me, funny thing I don't too." I said as I retracted my weak weapon and rest it on my shoulder._

 _"You two aren't going to fight right?" She asked as she tugged my sleeve._

 _"Only if he gives me a good reason, so what do you say? Would you teach me how to throw those knives -?" I asked him as he prepared to give me a lesson._

* * *

Undead Asylum

"Ah... My first memory of them... I've forgotten even their names now." I said as I looked up the ceiling of my cell. I've been here for so long that the place is a dump. Moss was creeping its way through the newly cracks of the walls even though it covered a great portion of my room. Metal bars rusted beyond repair through time. Rats that steal away and eat any decaying corpse to sustain their small figures. How long have I've been here? A century? No... More than that... At the very least five centuries if I can remember... I can't so I'm not sure.

Thanks to this pendant from her, I can still remember vaguely my past, even though their faces are blurred I can still remember some details. But only when we were just small kids, after that I remember naught. Even our conversations are so blurred that I can't make out.

But there is one thing that I remember for sure... I need to... Save her. Yes, I still remember that clearly.

I was running to the cathedral to get to her, but the guardians slowed me down by killing me. Without me knowing I got up and sluggishly jog to the cathedral to only see her silver hairs disappear from thin air. I screamed as loud as I can through my bloody clothes, I was too late. After that I fell to my knees to accept whatever punishment they thought.

Obviously seeing me alive made them bewilder and announced me as an undead, a being that could live after death as many times before hollowing. A hollow makes an undead a wild animal craving only for souls from other beings. Even from their own kind. But if an undead has something to keep them sane like faith or an object they can somewhat maintain some sanity until someone crushes what they hold dear.

I haven't hollowed because of my pendant. I would of escaped if the rats didn't took my master key as a shiny trinket for themselves.

I hear the roof creak from something heavy, no doubt it should be the guard of this place. Just making sure that no undead runs away or causes an outburst. What was the guard like again...? It didn't look human so a demon? I can't remember well how it looks, only that it wasn't human what that thing was.

The creaking on the roof stopped and out of nowhere a hollow's body fell down from the ceiling, surprised I looked up to see what threw that.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing, a knight clad with a more refined version of the knight set. I never saw that kind of armor before, maybe only certain knights could use it. He was looking at me through the hole that gave little sunlight to me. The knight than gave a small nod before leaving.

I have to help him! I know this place much better than him and I know for a fact the guard already noticed him.

"D...D...De..." I can't even muster the goddamn words! Did I really forget how to speak? "Dem...Dem..." Come on! Just shout it out! He'll die if you don't just yell!

"DEMON ON THE ROOF!"

I talked and yelled for the first time in many centuries, if it weren't the fact that I was an undead I would of perished a long time ago to dust. The creaking stopped and than it began again only in a more fierce and fastened pace. He must of noticed the demon and began running, hopefully my friend would be safe.

I then stood up and walked to see the corpse, a typical hollow like no other. His skin was so wrinkled that no one could identify him only one difference from the others though, this hollow was dead. No one can stay undead forever, the moment one gives up is the moment that their life has ended.

Looking closely now, I noticed he was holding on to something. I pried open his dead hand and found a key, isn't this key suppose to be the cells of this division?

My heart started to beat at a small faster pace, if this key can open my cell than I can maybe find a way to escape this godforsaken hellhole. Maybe I could reach her again, if I know where she is now.

I took the key and slowly slid it inside the metal door, I began to turn it and a loud clacking sound was emitted and then the door creaked, due to its poor state, as it began to slowly open.

I was free... After so many years I'm free from this confined place. In front of me was a narrow hallway with two hollows facing the wall and one hollow inside his cell trying to crawl out, these guys don't know that they are out as they keep banging the wall and wail.

I began walking completely ignoring them as I proceeded, I looked to my right and saw through the bars an abomination with a strange weapon. I didn't want it to be alerted of my presence so I kept going as it wandered around like a stray dog.

I reached a room with a decent amount of water, it looked extremely cold as another hollow was sitting by the corner. Not moving an inch due to him already be used to the cold.

I carry on until I see a ladder, its metal was corroded but still solid to climb. While climbing I heard a pounding sound and then the entire building shook some times before it went back to normal, my guess was the demon on the roof attacking the knight. Or maybe it was it resuming its patrol.

Once I reached the top I stumble upon a small open area with an odd sword enveloped in flames embedded on the earth with the remains of a charred corpse, this must be one of many call 'Bonfire'. A resting place for undead and for some reason its flame heals all kinds of wounds, even life threatening. One of the many mysteries of the world.

I paid little heed to it and continued towards the two towering doors, their steel frame surrounded the once blue wood, now its corrupted and rotten giving it some yellow spots around it.

I began pushing both doors with all of my strength that I could muster and slowly but surely they were open wide enough for me to pass.

Once inside I started to look around my surroundings, a lot of pots everywhere, another wide open space but smaller than outside and some torches to light the way. In front of me was another set of doors, but they looked locked. I continued to scan the place until my eyesight stopped at the roof.

There it was, the guardian that put undead back into their cells or just smash them to oblivion with his odd weapon that consisted in only wood and stone. It looked like a demon with his abomination of a body, hence the name Asylum demon would suit him best.

It was looking at me, seeing any movement I did. No doubt it was ready to strike if I go too close to that door, maybe I could beat it?

No, it would be impossible with this broken weapon. I wouldn't hurt it one bit, maybe it would just bounce from his inflated skin, but I could at the very least try. If I'm in trouble I could just go inside the room on the left side.

"Alright... Here goes!" I said while running forward and sure enough the demon fell down. Without a moment to spare I began using my poor excuse of a weapon on it, only to not even leave a scratch.

The demon then did a swipe with his weapon to me, my body reacted on its own and I rolled out of the way backwards. How did I do that? Could it be that my body still remembers how to fight?

No time for thinking, I have a beast to focus on. I began charging again at the foul beast and did little to no damage to his hardened blob of skin. It flew up a bit with its tiny wings in the air, I was confused by the act, but then my realization kicked in and I moved out of the way of the fall of the beast.

I went charging again, but this time it already saw my pattern and did a quick swipe to the right with his weapon. I could hear my bones crack under the force of the beast as I was slightly thrown backwards and then I flew all the way to the left side as it made a following swipe to its left, but this time with all of its strength.

I coughed blood as I hit the wall that shook a bit, my bones ached to the point of screaming at me from even moving. But luck was on my side again, because I was near the door. I began to slowly crawl inside as I heard the beasts footsteps coming closer by the second.

Once I passed the door, the gate closed on its own stopping the beast on its pursuit. But I wasn't out of harms way, my body suffered too much and its only a matter of moments before I die.

As I crawled I saw another bonfire, I never saw someone using it, but if the stories are true... Maybe it could heal all of my wounds.

I was able to stand up, even if my body rebelled to the idea and slowly extended my hand at the tip of the sword. The flame then awakened from its slumber as it produced a warm light.

Sitting down near the bonfire, my wounds started to heal at an alarming pace. The pain was leaving and my strength was returning, the stories were true as they stand.

I stood up and headed to the hallway only to duck for cover, there was another hollow at the end of the hallway shooting arrows to any trespassers to feast on their souls.

I peeked around the room and found a body holding a leather shield, but since I don't do well with them as I remember that much, I looked up in front to see a sword embedded on a hollows corpse behind the archer.

Maybe if I can somehow dodge the first arrow I can run fast enough I can get the sword and finish the archer. This is a risky move, but with my wounds healed I can probably do it.

I started to jog my way to the hollow and on cue it fired an arrow, I rolled forward just as the arrow was at least two feet away from me and I successfully dodged it. I began running and the hollow sensing that it was doomed ran inside the doorway.

Seeing no point in attacking him with this broken sword I took my attention to the weapon stuck on the body of another hollow. As I took the weapon to analyze it to more detail I began having a faint flashback.

* * *

 _"Young Blake, I'm giving you my most prized possession to you. This blade has been with me for as long as I remember, many adventures it has been and many have fallen to it. I would like you to wield it in your adventures, my old bones can't do anything more with it, but you... You can keep showing it adventures, slay beasts with it and keep you protected from the dangers out there."_

 _My memory doesn't even remember his face, its just a blur now. But I remember those words very well. The one man, a stranger at first until he became my teacher, gave me his blade. I had a set of clothes similar to his as he said once that a wanderer only wears this style of clothes and uses a fast sword._

 _"Thank you master -, I'll make you proud."_

* * *

"This blade... Is my masters Falchion, a curved sword. Preferable weapons for wanderers." I said as I remember the blade. It weights a bit, but after a few practice swings it weighed almost nothing.

I also remember something I only used this blade and only this blade, with my right hand or both arms. It failed me sometimes, but with these mindless hollows its fine for now.

I began running after the hollow that ran only to see him at the top of the staircase shooting arrows at me, I held my blade with both hands to my right side grinding the the floor a few times. I dodged two arrows while running and then killed the hollow with a fluid motion, cutting him diagonally and make his body hit the floor lifeless.

Then the souls that harbored inside him were absorbed inside me, I actually felt... Better. Not stronger, but... Better. I opened my right palm to see a small white clump of mass, these were souls that we hollows had to collect to stay sane. A more efficient way than objects with sentimental value, vicious but effective.

I looked up ahead and saw a white mist, I could faintly see the next hallway. No enemies that I couldn't see, so I reached my hand and walked inside.

Once in I saw a jail door and the knight that saved me was inside walking in place, looks like he saved himself. He noticed me quickly and rushed at the jail door..

"Oh you! You no hollow are you, eh? You must be the undead that warned me about that demon, I owe you my life for that, but as you can see I'm stuck in this place. Can you perhaps help me out?" He asked me, it seems fair if I help him out. He did helped me.

"I'll see what I can do." I replied to him, as I started to look around.

"Thank you so much, I'm Oscar from Astora." He told me as I kept looking around. "What is yours?" I froze on my tracks, I only knew my first name so I couldn't give him my last.

"I'll tell you when I release you." I replied to buy some time, he nodded as I went around to feel the way.

Solid, solid, solid... Weak. This side of the wall is weak due to the sound it emanated from me poking.

I began looking back and walked upstairs to find something to destroy it, then I saw a boulder rolling down to me.

"Shit!" I yelled as I rolled to the other set of stairs going downwards. My legs had to absorb the shock and pain of the fall, I looked up to see a hollow with a sword, no doubt it was him that pushed it.

Luckily the boulder hit the weak spot of the wall setting Oscar free.

"Thank you my friend, I owe you for your help..."

"Blake. Blake, the wanderer." This is the best I can tell him, until I can remember things better I'll stick with this. "And I'm just returning the favor, keeping things fair between us." I made my statement as I began walking up the stairs.

"Wait! Do you not have an estus flask?" He asked me as I turned around confused by him.

"Estus flask?" I asked curiously about this object.

"You don't know what an estus flask is? It's an undead favorite, its flame can heal wounds like that of a bonfire. Only its much weaker than an actual one, as it can't heal things like poison and such." Hm... Maybe that would be good for me. "I have an extra one if you want it." He said as he extended his hand with an emerald flask.

"I appreciate the offer." I said as I took the flask and put it on my belt, this way I can use it efficiently in case of something. As I was putting my new possession he began looking of my features.

"How odd... Most undead prefer to use a shield to block strong attacks. You, however, don't seem to carry one. Is there a reason for so?" He asked curious of me lacking a shield, he should of probably question of me sheathing my blade on my back instead of my side, but I guess a shield is important for survival.

"Me and shields don't get along, I prefer to use my sword for blocking and my hand to redirect attacks." I replied as I was ready to take a sprint upstairs to finish the hollow.

"What are you..." He trailed off as he saw me running upstairs with my sword ready to smite, the hollow charged at me sluggishly with his sword dangling like a used up vine. Before it could act I cut him once, stunning him in the process, with the momentum on me I gave one last slash ending his life and absorbing his souls. He fell to the floor like a doll without strings.

"Now..." I began as I got my breath back and looked at him seriously. "What are you even doing in this asylum releasing all the hollows?" I asked as I rose my blade to him.

He had one hand hover his sheathed sword, just in case I would become hostile on him. I would do the same thing in his shoes.

"I'm here for the old saying passed down in my family, the hollows are to make some time for me to escape this place." An old saying?

"What is this saying?" I asked, lowering my weapon slightly to signal my interest.

"Thou who art Undead, art chosen, in thine exodus for the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lord. When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know. Lower your weapon now, this is offensive for us Astorian's to have someone threatening us." He said now gripping the hilt of his sword.

"The Bell of Awakening? Don't you mean tw- Grh!" Suddenly a sharp pain came to my mind.

* * *

 _"Two bells. One above on the undead burg and one below in Blight town, the place that poor Izalith sacrificed herself to try and replicate it." Said a human? Or someone completely higher than us? "Blake, you said you wanted to explore outside, did you not? Well, we are going to need all the help we can get to make them. Will you aid us?"_

 _"With a chance to see how it looks outside? How can I resist? Count me in, -"_

* * *

"Hey you alright?" Asked Oscar as he cautiously grabbed my shoulder. Was that a forced memory? Whatever it was, it gave me some insight.

"There are two bells, not one." I said as I used the wall as support to recover my balance.

"What? There's two bells? Unbelievable." He said not believing my word, then something hit him. "How do you even know that?"

"Because I'm one of the first 10 undead to enter this asylum. Most undead are dead or have hollowed to the point of not knowing what's what anymore. Congratulations Oscar, you're talking with an undead that is over 500 years old and hasn't gone mad yet." I replied as I went to the door while he stayed bewildered with my statement.

He didn't spoke a word and opened the gate to see the outside of the asylum's destroyed structure. In the distance I could see a hill and the endless clouded sky.

As I was slowly walking I could hear moans and wails around the corner, more hollows.

"Oscar, there are hollows after this corner. Prepare your sword." I ordered as I two handed my falchion, I broke in a sprint and killed the first hollow and then did a back step to avoid the second hollow. Oscar went ahead and killed the second hollow in a fluid motion, but we weren't done yet.

There was one more hollow, an archer having his arrow ready to launch, Oscar was still recovering from the blow he gave, I put myself in front and raised my blade blocking the flying object, but suffering a bit of recoil of the force it had behind it.

After recovering he went forward with his shield up, the arrow just bounced off and he was at arms reach. Without a second thought he slayed the hollow and absorbed the souls that it gave.

Instead of going through the white mist again, I went on to the next hallway to see a hollow soldier with his sword ready to fight me.

"Oscar, would you like to see how I battle against someone equipped with a weapon?" I asked as he only nodded, I took one step and the hollow noticed my presence.

It began to run at me with his sword ready to do a stabbing motion, I rolled to the right avoiding the blow and got on my feet ready to attack him with holding my weapon on my right arm.

He began to try and attack me again with his sword, doing a downward motion, I simply took the speed in count and slapped the sword back at him with my bear fist making his arm recoil backwards. With the momentum I took a quick step forward and stabbed my weapon into his chest plate through his body to his back, the force was so grand that he was killed in that moment. I then put my foot on his torso and kicked him to get my weapon back, blood dripping from the tip of my blade and the soldiers recent wound bled too.

"This is how I fight, either you kill him or he kills you." I said as I walked past Oscar sucking in all that he saw just now. "But don't think of me as a cold killer, if I know something about my opponent I'll try not to kill him and reason with him, make it beast, human or even a god. That is my way of doing things." I said as I started to walk the degrees staring directly of the fog.

"The demon is beyond this, isn't it?" He asked as I nodded to him, he jumped down to get me, now with my weapon back, the chances of actually killing it are much higher than before.

"You're free to help me if you want, but don't get in my way." I said as I looked to him, he nodded and I passed through the mist.

I quickly jumped from the balcony while holding my weapon with both hands, I fell down and stabbed his thick neck. It growled in pain as I retracted my blade and slide down its back. It turned around and gave a mighty roar at me to intimidate me, I didn't even flinch from my body.

It began charging at me with his weapon only to see me roll out of the way and gave it two slashes before I back step out of the way of its back swing. The demon than rose his hammer to only make a downward attack, but at that moment Oscar landed with his sword stabbed on its back cancelling its attack. After retracting his weapon Oscar fell down and ran a bit to avoid the followup swing.

Me seeing the opportunity rushed forward and slashed the beast three times, I noticed that it dropped his weapon and fell to one knee. It was already far too weak as its head fell down from the pain.

"Oscar! With me!" I yelled as I rushed to its head, picking up what I meant he rushed to the demon as well and we both thrust our weapons deep in its skull. A loud roar escaped from its dying body as it evaporated into a bright light. Both of us absorbed the souls the demon carried with itself and from the place it was killed was a big key.

"Must be the key for those doors." Said Oscar as he carried the object into the keyhole, I helped him turn the key to unlock it. We then opened the door with both our strength.

"We're finally free..." I said as I took my first steps out of the asylum for the first time, the feeling is exhilarating.

"Not quite, at the end is just a cliff." Said Oscar as he looked on the horizon.

"Trust me, we are." I said as I know for a fact that we are free from this hellhole, I began walking at the top of the cliff waiting for Oscar to catch up. This is why I don't wear heavy armor, it just slows you down.

"What are we wai-"

"Oi! Gelka! Come and get us already!" I yelled, that crow sometimes is lazy.

"Gelka?" He asked as he though I was crazy.

Then the flapping of wings was heard quite well below us at an alarming pace, the wind force was so strong that we nearly fell.

"Get ready Oscar, we're going to Lordran." I said as we were scooped up by the talons of Gelka, the giant crow.

* * *

 **This is it for the first chapter, more will come along the way, so this was just a taste. I will be busy updating other stories for the time being, but I will update this story when everything is in order.**

 **Leave a review to tell me how this chapter went, your support is greatly appreciated.**


	2. Firelink Shrine - Meeting

"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Screamed Oscar as we were carried by Gelka the crow on her mighty talons.

"Stop screaming, Oscar. She's here to help us." I said calmly as I gently rubbed her giant feathers with my free hand.

"How can you be so relaxed, Blake!?" He asked as he squirmed to be released.

"How do you think we got in the asylum in the first place?" I asked as the wind passed us at a fast pace.

"...You don't mean to tell me... That this raven is the one carrying us was the one to send us there in the first place!?" He said with his voice trembling a bit from the shocking revelation.

"Remember back at the cliff? There was no way any Undead could've leave or enter unless it was from some sort of transportation." I explained as Gelka maneuvered through the pillars of stone on the way. "And Gelka here, is the one that does the job for it."

She then got a solid tailwind and rose up on the clouds. The sun shining brightly to the two escapees while the dark beast soared through the sky like it had done so, so many times.

"Wanderer Blake, you keep referring this beast as Gelka. Do you have some history with it?" He asked as the sight of the sun calmed Oscar spirit.

"It's... Hard to really tell you. Being in the Asylum for so long has deteriorated my mind quite a bit and my past is pretty blurry." I said as I gazed at the tip of Gelka's beak. "But I'm certain, we had our share of moments in the past to at least let me remember her name."

The crow seamed to understand me as it tilted its head towards me, looking at my eyes with her own. We didn't spoke anything, but her gaze was enough to tell me everything.

 _'I'm glad you're okay, Blake.'_

I nodded and we began to accelerate downwards, the clouds dispersed quickly revealing land. The wind was passing too fast and I instictingly closed them with some fear that the wind might cut my eyes at this speed. Oscars screams didn't helped the situation one bit.

When we were about to crash, Gelka quickly flapped her wings at the cliff stopping all of her momentum in a flash. She then hovered a bit and gently let us go from her strong talons.

"Oh thank the lords! We're alive!" Said Oscar feeling land once more on his feet. I, in the mean time, was looking around to familiarize myself with this place.

"Wonder where we are right now..." This has to be Lordran if Gelka dropped us here. Around us there was a dead great tree, many years must of passed for it to die in such a grand form. Next to us was a bonfire in the center of the ring around it, its flame seemed a bit bigger than the one I light on the Asylum to heal my wounds.

"Well, what do we have here? You two must be a new arrivals." A strange voice said while I was looking around the area.

Both Oscar and I sharply looked at the intruder sitting down on a fallen pillar with his back leaned back on the decrepit wall that was formed a building. His armor is a set commonly used to rogue warriors of the crestfallen, his sword and shield resting by his side.

"Let me guess. Fate of the Undead, right? Well, you're not the first." He said as he may of saw this many times before.

"Not the first? What do you mean? Aren't we the first?" Asked Oscar as it confused him.

"I've been here longer than I can remember my own name, and I can swear to you I've seen many Undead come and go here." He said as he glued his eyes to the dancing flame of the bonfire.

"But there's no salvation here. You'd have done better to rot in the Undead Asylum… But, too late now." He finished as he didn't bother to stare back at us.

"Blake, can you make any sense on what this warrior just sai- Wha!? Blake what is happening to you!?" Oscar quickly said as I saw him starting to fade away.

"Me? What is happening to you?" I said as I didn't changed one bit.

"I see... The both of you don't know it too." He said as he must of thought of something. "Apparently the land is quite different for each Undead that wanders here. Though I don't really know how it is able to do so..."

"I know." I said to the both of them, he seemed rather surprised of me knowing. "This land is Lordran, the land of the Gods. In here an Undead walks a world where time and space bends to that said Undead. So we can hypothesis that I'm returning to my world and Oscar is too." I said as I already knew the answer... How weird. I guess my memory is opening some light to us.

"Own world?" Asked Oscar as he looked quite confused to my explanation.

"You see those fellows near the bonfire?" The warrior pointed towards the fiery sword, around it there was the white outline of many people sitting or just standing in place with mighty weapons and strong looking armor. "Those phantoms are other Undead, making their way to finish the pilgrim of the prophecy."

As he finished pointed out, Oscars body glowed with the same outline as the other phantoms. He must of fully entered his own world.

"Can you still hear me Oscar?" I asked as he nodded to me. "I see... So this place is like a meeting ground for other Undead to use the bonfire in their own specific world for their own use." I speculated as I turned to the warrior that looked the same as before. "I'm guessing, since you aren't going for the legend you won't enter your own world."

"You are correct on that, but I am in my world." He said as he looked at my confused face, Oscar seemed intrigued by this though. "From time to time, the worlds can temporarily connect to another Undeads world and have their physical form to interact with one another. I'm or maybe you, are just passing through so we can talk naturally in the flesh."

"Or it is just one of the many mysteries of Lordran on how we can all talk like this." I said as the phantoms disappeared, they must of left for their journey.

"Well, if we have a time limit to talk we better say whatever we can to one another." He said as he looked at the sky.

"Since you're here... Let me help you out. There are in fact two awakening bells-" He started before I put my hand up.

"Me and Oscar already know that much, one up at the Undead Burg and another one bellow BlightTown, correct?" I asked as he seemed surprised of us knowing.

"My, my... You're well informed for two hollows that just came from the Undead Asylum. If you know that much, than I can keep watching the flame of the bonfire and warn any other prophecy looking Undead." He said before refusing to speak anymore.

"Oscar, I'm going to explore a little bit on this area. Go on ahead and try to reach the Undead Burg to ring the bell. Be on the lookout for any other fellow Undead that may help us out, with luck you may find any Astorians around." He nodded as he walked outside the ring, disappearing completely out of my sight.

"Crestfallen, I have one more question." I said grabbing his attention. "How can we hollows regain our old selves?"

"You mean restoring your humanity? Well, there are a few ways to go about it. Collect it bit by bit from corpses, or you can butter up a cleric, and get yourself summoned. And the quickest way, although I'd never do it, is to kill a healthy Undead, and pillage its humanity. Than just use the collected humanity and sacrifice it at the bonfire, that should do the trick in restoring it." He explained as I nodded and started to look around the area.

I quickly saw that an Undeads corpse was hanging on the well. Once I approached I looked around his satchel to find three black souls with a white sprite around it, its white eyes looking at me curiously.

I took a few steps towards the bonfire and crushed one of them, the black smoke entered my body and I felt a bit... Different. Almost like... I could remember my past a little bit.

I kneed over the bonfire and opened my palm, summoning the used humanity looking worriedly at the flame before being consumed by it. The fire then touched my hand and enveloped itself on me, burning whatever residue that the humanity left on me.

Once it was done I started to feel the gentle breeze touching my cheek, the humidity of the air and the warmth of the suns rays. I feel... Alive again.

"..." I couldn't even muster a word, I was really alive now. "Don't get sentimental now Blake..." I said to myself as I pushed away what little tears I had back,

I could remember a few things more clearly now from my past, even though they are still vastly blurry, some light did shone on it.

There was... A man, no... this was someone higher than a regular human, found me amusing and let me roam around... A palace? Yes... But... Argh! I can't remember!

"Thinking about it won't help... Need to look around for anything else that can be used." I told myself as I took the stairs down.

The stone stairs has aged so much, that it moss and vines intertwined and made obvious permanent marks on it. The aged brick wall on the side was covered by dirt and many more minerals, plant life was able to flourish a bit. Whatever it would in this Undead land.

"Hmm?" At the end of the stairs on the wall. Were some corroded steel bars with a woman inside of a small hole. "Who are you?"

She didn't reply, she just looked at me with a vague look.

The suns rays adjusted themselves making it easier to have a better look at her. She was a blonde, mid twenty's woman with light brown eyes. Her clothes resemble that of a maiden, but the smoke and ashes from, probably, bonfires darkened over the years. The only piece of cloth that held my attention was her skirt that had patches of blood.

Was she mauled?

"I'll ask again, who are you?" I asked in a higher tone, just in case she didn't heard me.

"Mmm." She tried to say something, but all that came out was a painful sound.

"You can't speak or was your tongue cut off?" I asked in a sarcastic way to her. She looked at the ground with some visible pain on her facial expression. "...You serious?"

Was her tongue really cut off? What kind of person would do that to someone!?

"Uh... Can you... Spell your name on the ground at least?" She extended her hand outside of the bars and wrote 'Anastacia'.

"Anastacia? That's a nice name. What are you?" She pointed upwards, this confused me a little bit.

"The guardian of the tree?" She shook her head. "A friend of the crestfallen warrior?" She shook again. "...The guardian of the bon- Ugh!" Oh god! It feels like my head is being crack open from the inside!

* * *

 _"Blake... I need to tell you about these people near the bonfire." Who are you? I... I know I've seen you before..._

 _"What about them?"_

 _"These are called Fire Keepers. They watch over the bonfire and make sure its flame never fades." That sword... That shield... Someone... I respected a lot._

 _"Why are they so different from the other bonfires?"_

 _"Because, the others have the diseased Fire Keepers ashes below the sword to make sure they don't burn out. As long as they live, their flame will remain strong."_

 _"What happens if someone does kill a Fire Keeper and doesn't spray their ashes on the bonfire?" Who are you dammit!?_

 _"Then the bonfire, will be no more."_

* * *

"*Gasp* *Wheeze* That... Was painful..." I said as I recovered from my little memory attack.

I looked behind me at her, she seemed somewhat surprise from my sudden rush of pain. Her hand seemed to try reaching me from the bars.

"So... You're the Fire Keeper of the bonfire." I said, she nodded to that one as she retracted her hand back.

"Nice to meet you Anastacia, my name is Blake." I said as I sat down in front of her. She still had that vague look in her eyes, yet she seemed intrigued by my approach.

"Do not worry, I won't harm you in any way. You see... I remembered a bit about Fire Keepers just now." She scooped a little forward to listen closely.

"Apparently, all of them are female. Something to do... About their soul... Or something of the sorts." I still remember that one Fire Keeper at home... Even though it is blurry, I do remember her.

"I don't know what happened to you, but rest assured. You aren't alone here, I'll make sure to pay you a visit so that the shadows won't cut deeper." I told her, for once... Her eyes flickered to life and small tears seeped away from her eyes.

She gripped the bars as her figure trembled, could it be... That she was here for decades?

I've seen this before... Somewhere... I can't piece it together where exactly, but it happened before to... Her.

With my mind dazed over that memory, I unconsciously went forward and gave what little a hug could do. She embraced me and gripped my clothes with what little strength she, as her tears flooded to my shoulder.

Minutes passed and her sobs were carried with the passing of wind. This feeling in my chest... I think this is an emotion that was closed off when I went to the Asylum, or maybe before even going there.

Happiness. I felt that way before, until everything crumbled. After that, all I could feel was sadness, despair and rage. But I soon steeled myself to make sure nothing could hurt me ever again.

Once her tears dried, I retracted a bit and she gestured at my hood.

"You want to see me without my hood?" She nodded, I put it down and she took a good look at me. "There. I need to know what more this place has before I go to the Undead Burg, but I'll visit you when I have the chance Anastacia."

She nodded and waved goodbye to me. I went back up the aged steps and passed the warrior.

"Oh, have you seen that terribly morose lass? … The Fire Keeper." I stopped on my tracks and gave my attention to the chain mailed man.

"What do you know about her?"

"She's stuck keeping that bonfire lit. Sad, really. She's mute and bound to this forsaken place." He said with a monotone. His eyes, never missing a spark from the bonfire.

I kept myself quiet and let him continue, maybe he knows something that I don't know yet about her.

"They probably cut her tongue out back in her village, so that she'd never say any god's name in vain." They... What? By the sun...

"That's... Unpleasant to hear."

Seeing that he didn't had anything else to speak off I passed him and climbed some steps that had vines growing and came across a pool of water. The suns rays glistered through the cracks of leafs on the top of the once building. Gelka was resting in one of the structures frame.

"I wonder how I look... I must be a very old man by now." I chuckled at my little joke and watched my reflection on the water.

"W-what?" I'm... Still as young as I first arrived at the Asylum! How!? Can Undead really be immortal beings that don't suffer times grip?

I still had my hazel eyes with light on them. My black medium long hair with a ponytail, untouched by any lines of white. I still have the scar that the guardian gave me on my neck, but besides that nothing changed!

"Undead are... Incredible." I couldn't think of any other words to describe it. I survived this long thanks to this curse, heck I might even be at the level of a deity!

"Yeah right... As if a human could reach something that high..." ... "But if it is a Undead... Things might be different..."

I looked at my palm and saw the amassed body of souls that I have. 'Twas but a small light, but enough to maybe use them on myself.

I backpedaled towards the bonfire and sat beside it. I kept thinking that, maybe I could use these souls on myself. In a way, make my soul and body stronger, faster...

The souls on my palm began to fade into small prickles of light and my body absorbed it.

I can feel it... My muscles becoming much stronger, my eyesight becoming sharper than before and my lungs able to receive more air to deliver to my body.

Yes... I feel stronger than what I was a few seconds ago. It wasn't much, but everything can make a difference, no matter how low it is.

The warrior took one good look at me, before shrugging it aside. His eyes had no light so he didn't exactly care if I lived or not with this little enhancement.

I passed him again and this time, didn't look at the water and continued through a door way. Behind the damaged and aged building was a graveyard of some sorts.

Tombstones piled up against each other, stone with many years of environment changes making it quite damaged.

Now normally I wouldn't want to enter a place like this, the dead should stay underground and rest in peace with their belongings. But if by any chance there is something around here that would help me in any way, shape or form on my travel... I don't suppose they would mind me borrowing it for a bit until I have no more use to it.

I walked past the tombstones and through decayed bones as I looked my surroundings. A single, small dead tree was on my left and towards more to the left was a corpse that clung onto a shield. Me, being not a fan of shields, shrugged it and kept moving on the unstable ground.

As I continued to walk, I kept hearing a clanking sound, this made me alerted as any sound may well lead to an enemy. I strayed myself from the path and saw a lone corpse on the farthest of any grave near a cliff.

My curiosity picked and I went to see what caused its death. The sound kept being emitted somewhere and it was unnerving me as I was making my way to it.

Once I arrived I saw that near its corpse was a pair of binoculars, this would certainly would help me considerably to spot any enemy from far away. I grabbed them and kept them on my little bag.

The clanking stopped and I could hear steps behind me, if someone that I knew was behind me they would of let me know... Or maybe wanted to betray me.

I quickly unsheathed my blade from my back and swiftly slashed diagonally to the presence. My eyes widen when I saw a skeleton wielding a sword and shield.

Not only that, four other skeletons regrouped with their scattered bones and locked their glowing eye sockets to me.

The enemy in front of me didn't even faltered and immediately started to attack me with quick slashes with his blade. All I could do was block it as I was trying to find a gap to escape or to find his rhythm to attack him.

As the seconds passed the other enemies closed their distance on me as my enemy kept attacking me, and I kept blocking.

Suddenly I got his timing perfectly and slapped his sword away as I drove my blade through his rib cage and successfully cut his spine off. Not a moment too soon and I rolled through the gap between the squad as they all fell the cliff.

I let out a sigh of relief, but my hands became quite hurt with each strike of my opponent. I tried out the estus flask strapped on my belt and took a small sip from the liquid flame.

Damaged skin, cut muscle and bone were being quickly restored as it was before I was attacked. It was a little painful the process, but now I feel good as new.

"...Ahhh..." A moaning came on my back and the sound of clanking started again.

I turned to see the skeleton reforming back to what it was before. Only now I noticed that the souls I got were from the squad that fell, this guy isn't exactly dead!

Once he was fully reformed again I kicked him and then slashed him twice before he fell to the abyss of the mountains. Its souls were quickly amassed back on my palm.

"So... They can't be killed through combat, but can be killed from falling at a lethal height? Somethings not right here."

Maybe someone brought that skeleton back to life, but right now I shouldn't linger here any longer than I should. The dead are here to rest, and I'm alive to live.

I returned back to the bonfire, but didn't sat on it this time. Instead I went the opposite side of the tree went through another arched door. I turned left and saw another human near some pots.

This human was wearing a set of armor that I'm not used to see. It looks like a clerics armor, only more durable and maybe more protective. His short blonde hair and sharp eyes tells me that he isn't someone to mess with. His shield honored for those that achieved the title of knight and spiked mace, also known as a morning star, would make him quite the foe to deal with.

I approached him with my blade sheathed for him to see I'm no threat.

"Hello there. I believe we are not acquainted?I am Petrus of Thorolund. Have you business with us? If not, I'd prefer to keep a distance, if possible."

I nodded and left him alone, Thorolund... Why do I hate that name so much?

Wouldn't fare much facing him now, that weapon of his would cut deeply and leave my wounds bleeding like a fountain.

Going to the right side I found yet another corpse. This one had a few firebombs, though these were drenched with something that made them black.

Firebombs were a great asset, as their complex yet simple form would allow a quick way to damage the enemy and escape out of sight. These, however, were a much more potent than regular ones.

Having a closer look, they have a small glass container that is probably a special oil that grants the exploding capabilities to enlarge the damage. That must be why these are called black, thanks to the color of the oil.

I put them on my belt to quickly use them, if I'm ever in a pinch and need a quick escape.

Having explored whatever I could around here, I think it is time for me to head towards the Undead Burg to ring that bell.

I made a quick stop at the bonfire and saw that my estus flask was being refilled as the flames surrounded it before returning back to their dancing form.

I stood up and started to march my way to the cliff that would lead me there.


End file.
